Why Studios Pass on 95% of Game Writer Applications

(And How to Be in the 5% They Actually Call)

The insider framework that turns 'we're not interested' into 'when can you start?'

Hear directly from the people who do the hiring

 

Studios aren't looking for people who can write. They're looking for problem-solvers who happen to use writing as one of their tools. And while everyone else is polishing portfolios and worrying about AI, you can be positioning yourself as the solution to problems that only humans can solve.

In this workshop, we're going to completely reframe how you think about getting hired. Instead of asking "do they like my writing?" you'll start asking "what problem am I solving?"

 Plus you're going to hear directly from game directors, narrative directors and recruiters - the people who have the insights you need! 

Saturday, August 23rd
2-5pm Central Time

Live Online Workshop - $97

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Hour 1: How to Evaluate Job Postings Like Industry Insiders

  • Discover why job listings are just cries for help: What studios actually need vs. what they post
  • Master the 3-step framework: Define the problem → Am I the solution? → How do I prove it?
  • Sidestep AI: You're competing on the ability to solve creative problems, not the ability to generate words

Hour 2: The Five Professional Skills That Studios Screen For

  • Learn why each skill solves a specific studio problem (these aren't arbitrary requirements; this is what keeps directors up at night!)
  • Practice problem-skill matching: Connect real studio challenges to the skills that solve them
  • Audit your current evidence: Find out which skills you already have vs. which you need to develop

Hour 3: Your 30-Day Problem-Solving Portfolio Plan

  • Take your portfolio beyond writing samples: How to show studios your approach to solving problems
  • Define your specific, concrete action steps: What to create, when, and how to showcase it
  • Commit to Week 1 action: Your specific, this-week step to start presenting yourself as the writer studios need

EXCLUSIVE EXPERT INTERVIEWS:

Hear directly from a Narrative Director at a AAA studio, a Game Director with 15+ years experience, and a Senior Technical Recruiter who screens game writing candidates. They're sharing what actually gets their attention (and what immediately turns them off).

Will AI replace game writers before you can build a career?

AI can generate text. It can't solve complex creative problems, navigate team dynamics, understand business constraints, or handle the nuanced human collaboration that game development requires.

In this workshop, you'll learn to compete on distinctly human skills that studios actually value - the ones that keep you employed regardless of what new AI tools emerge.

WHY THIS WORKSHOP?
WHY NOW?

The industry chaos isn't going away anytime soon. But here’s the good news: uncertainty creates opportunity for people who think can think strategically. And if you play videogames, guess what: you’re already a strategic thinker. Take the same mindset you use to get past difficult levels, and use it to help your career. 

While other writers wait for things to improve, you'll be building a way to present yourself that makes you hireable in any market. The writers who understand this get jobs. The ones who don't will keep rewriting samples no one reads.

I've been working with game writers for over a decade, and I've seen this transformation happen again and again. Once writers realize that studios need creative problem-solvers, they change how they build their portfolios and how they present themselves in interviews. The job search goes from “This is a nightmare” to “Which studio’s problems interest me the most? Who could I really help?”

 

HERE'S WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT


You get concrete deliverables, not vague inspiration:

  • Your personalized 90-day action plan (not generic advice)
  • The exact 5-question framework studios use to evaluate candidates
  • Templates for the 3 portfolio pieces that actually get read
  • A week-by-week roadmap you can start implementing Monday

This is strategic career development, not just writing advice. We're not workshopping your dialogue trees. We're giving you the professional mindset that separates hobbyists from hires.

Real hiring managers share what they actually look for. You'll hear directly from people who make hiring decisions - narrative directors, creative leads, and studio founders who've agreed to share their honest perspectives for this workshop only.

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: SUSAN O'CONNOR

Susan’s first job as a game writer was for “a slumber party game - for girls!”

She’s gone on to work on over 25 projects, including groundbreaking, award-winning titles in the BioShock, Far Cry and Tomb Raider franchises.

Titles in her portfolio have sold over 30 million copies and generated over $500 million in sales.

For many years she was an adjunct professor at UT Austin, where she taught a course on writing for games. She also founded the Game Narrative Summit at GDC.

Now, she partners with studios, publishers, and writers to help teams ship great games with great stories.

She is dedicated to supporting creatives in the games industry so that they can do their best work. 

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

It is taught by someone who actually wrote AAA games. That means I can trust her. I don't trust the book Story because Robert McKee doesn't write movies. I do trust Adventures in the Screen Trade because William Goldman did write movies.

 

I really like how you all go about approaching this work and making it accessible. Every time I start over as a beginner, I learn more and push my craft. And you give an open window into deepening the understanding of core concepts that are thrown about but never really unpacked, and methodical ways to work and tools to work with.

 

As an entry-level writer, this workshop was super helpful in wrapping my head around things and will help me spot mistakes before I make them.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

REGISTER NOW

Saturday, August 23rd
 2:00-5:00 PM Central Time
 Live Online Workshop
$97

Registration closes Thursday, August 21st at midnight

Studios are being pickier than ever about who they hire. The writers who understand this shift are already presenting themselves differently. The question is: will you be ready when they're hiring again?

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED